I know that some of you regular readers think that I write about EVERYTHING in my life on my blog. In fact, that's not true at all. I suppose I just have a lot in my head and the need to express it. Thanks for listening!
We are headed into an extremely busy July. We are preparing for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, and I've created a slide show to chronicle their relationship over five decades. At the same time, we are preparing for Mike's mother and sister and her children to arrive from England on Saturday evening...after the party. (Long story.) Then two days after they leave, we depart for the final week in July in Holden Village.
We are madly cleaning our house trying to get it ready to house an additional five people. We're both feeling discouraged about our house. First of all, the clutter (although we're rapidly getting rid of stuff); second is the difficulty in keeping it clean because none of us are neatniks and the littlest person in particular is Mr. Messy; and third, the house feels shabby.
We have not spent the money or the time to spiff it up more. The whole house (with the exception of a few rooms) needs a paint job. Some of the less-used rooms have not been painted since we moved in, and worse, they are PINK! I hate pink. I'd like to remove the carpet in our bedroom...but have restrained myself from doing it this week.
I was raised by DIYers, and even though we have paid people to do work on our house, it's been random. In addition, we are saving our money to send Chris to a private high school in the fall. So we're not likely to start spending money now where we didn't before.
In my rational moments, I realize that Mike and I are not materialistic and if we can live with the state of the house, why do I care what others think? I had a conversation with my aunt on the Fourth of July, and she told me that she CANNOT STAND IT if she spots something as small as a stuck window in her house. Maybe that's why I feel the pressure. Over the years I've seen my parents fly into a spiffing-up flurry when my dad's relatives are expected. I suppose I'm following in their footprints.
Unlike other families we know, who spend their weekends on house projects, we would rather be out having fun. We'd rather spend time on travel than on paying house contractors. I know that these experiences will be what our kids will remember...not a clean, fancy house.
As it is, over the past few days as we've been madly cleaning, I feel that I've been neglecting the kids. Nick is constantly wanting us to watch his plays or read him books, and I hate putting him off.
I will just have to work on remembering my priorities. And of course, we should just be grateful that we have a roof over our heads and our house is full of love.
Fun and family time trumps a perfect house. But still, off to clean!
We are headed into an extremely busy July. We are preparing for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, and I've created a slide show to chronicle their relationship over five decades. At the same time, we are preparing for Mike's mother and sister and her children to arrive from England on Saturday evening...after the party. (Long story.) Then two days after they leave, we depart for the final week in July in Holden Village.
We are madly cleaning our house trying to get it ready to house an additional five people. We're both feeling discouraged about our house. First of all, the clutter (although we're rapidly getting rid of stuff); second is the difficulty in keeping it clean because none of us are neatniks and the littlest person in particular is Mr. Messy; and third, the house feels shabby.
We have not spent the money or the time to spiff it up more. The whole house (with the exception of a few rooms) needs a paint job. Some of the less-used rooms have not been painted since we moved in, and worse, they are PINK! I hate pink. I'd like to remove the carpet in our bedroom...but have restrained myself from doing it this week.
I was raised by DIYers, and even though we have paid people to do work on our house, it's been random. In addition, we are saving our money to send Chris to a private high school in the fall. So we're not likely to start spending money now where we didn't before.
In my rational moments, I realize that Mike and I are not materialistic and if we can live with the state of the house, why do I care what others think? I had a conversation with my aunt on the Fourth of July, and she told me that she CANNOT STAND IT if she spots something as small as a stuck window in her house. Maybe that's why I feel the pressure. Over the years I've seen my parents fly into a spiffing-up flurry when my dad's relatives are expected. I suppose I'm following in their footprints.
Unlike other families we know, who spend their weekends on house projects, we would rather be out having fun. We'd rather spend time on travel than on paying house contractors. I know that these experiences will be what our kids will remember...not a clean, fancy house.
As it is, over the past few days as we've been madly cleaning, I feel that I've been neglecting the kids. Nick is constantly wanting us to watch his plays or read him books, and I hate putting him off.
I will just have to work on remembering my priorities. And of course, we should just be grateful that we have a roof over our heads and our house is full of love.
Fun and family time trumps a perfect house. But still, off to clean!
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